IDNO

N.19135.ROS

Description

A frontal portrait of a member of the Sacred Guild (one of the King of Bunyoro’s special councillors) wearing the "official robes and the crown with the long-beard of monkey skin which marked the member of the Sacred Guild” (Roscoe, 1922, pp. 210, 211) seated on a wooden chair in an interior. The top of the crown is made from beads. The robe appears to be ‘modern dress’ because it looks as though it is made out of cloth rather than the traditional bark cloth. Behind the Sacred Guild member stands a young man wearing a kanzu (white tunic) covered by a white European-style jacket.

Physical Condition: Film is a yellow/brown colour.

Place

E Africa; Uganda; Bunyoro; Kitara

Cultural Affliation

Banyoro (Bakitara)

Named Person

Sakibobo?

Photographer

?Roscoe, John R.

Collector / Expedition

Roscoe, John R. [Mackie Ethnological Expedition, Uganda, 1919 - 1920]

Date

1919 - 1920

Collection Name

Roscoe Collection

Source

Format

Film Negative Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This negative was kept in an envelope marked C30/84/ by the cataloguer. The envelope was kept in box marked C30/ by the cataloguer.
Previously stored on Shelf 4, in group of 4 wooden boxes numbered 180.

Context: "Round the king’s enclosure were built the enclosures of the members of the Sacred Guild and other important chiefs, who thus protected the king from danger of sudden attack by any enemy. The chiefs of the Sacred Guild were a small body of special councillors, chosen, until quite recently, entirely from the Bahuma or pastoral people, who had to bind themselves to the king by a special and very stringent oath which was taken by drinking some milk from cows which were sacred to the king himself.” (Roscoe, J., 1923. The Bakitara (or Banyoro): The First Part of the Report of The Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), p. 8). See also:
-Sacred Guild, gateway of, p. 75
-judgment of a member of, p.62
-herd, v. Nkorogi
-huts, p. 70, p. 100, p. 133, p. 146.
-guards of, p. 75
-names of, p. 80, p. 81
-rules of, p. 80, p. 81, p. 173. [ED 3/10/2007]

Clothing of the Sacred Guild: "Both he and the king wore their official robes and the crown with the long-beard of monkey skin which marked the member of the Sacred Guild. The robe consisted of a large sheet of bark cloth wrapped around the body, and a person dressed in this robe and crown presented a most peculiar appearance.” (Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), pp. 210, 211.). [ED 3/10/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 3/10/2007]